When you think about how to go about losing more weight, what's the first thing that comes to your mind? Chances are you answered, "more cardio". And if you're like me, you even conjured up a dreadful image of yourself slaving away mindlessly on the treadmill or bike. The terms "cardio" and "fat loss" have gone hand in hand for as long as I've been working out. Luckily, the science of fitness has moved on and given us a faster, more effective way to lose weight...and it has nothing to do with long, boring, monotonous cardio.

Taking Your Fitness To The Next Level With HIIT

You can say goodbye to long boring cardio for good because there's a new kid in town - High Intensity Interval Training. With HIIT, your cardio will take less than half the time and likely more than double your results. Cranking up your intensity for 10 to 15 minutes on the bike, treadmill, or track are surefire ways to really get your heart rate going. Sprint intervals are highly recommended for all HIIT workouts. High Intensity Cardio Interval Training should be part everyone's training regimen as an effective fat burning protocol.

For the most part, HIIT is almost always associated with just cardio, but there's another secret that will take your fat burning potential to the max. You see, to burn more fat you have to build more lean muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn throughout the day, even when you're not working out. By incorporating HIIT in your weightlifting routine you can't help but to get super lean and gain defined muscle tone without stepping foot on a single piece of cardio equipment!

Why HIIT Works

The reason High Intensity Interval Training is so effective at burning fat is - you guessed it - because of it's intensity. Working at a high level of intensity pushes your body into an energy deficit. Depending on how intense your workout session is, this deficit could be big enough that your body has to expend more energy to make up for it. As a result, you burn more fat and calories. What's more, HIIT workout sessions are short in duration and BIG on results.

Do as many Sumo Deadlift High Pull (w 75 - 115 lb. barbell) in 20 seconds

Rest for 15 seconds

Repeat for 8 rounds

Remember, the duration of this workout is short, but the session should be super intense! Be sure to use weights that will be challenging. The heavier you go, the higher the intensity. Try it out and see for yourself how high intensity interval training doesn't have to be just cardio.

The best type of exercises to perform in your HIIT sessions are full body (functional) exercises. This combination will get you super lean and defined -- fast. Couple this with a sensible diet and you've got yourself a fail-proof formula for getting ripped with ZERO cardio.

Shin Ohtake is the author of the world-famous fitness program, MAX Workouts. To learn more about how you can get ultra lean and toned with shorter workouts, visit http://www.MaxWorkouts.com